Night Serenade
by AliciaRoseFantasy
Summary: The fellowship witness the magic of Elven singing - drabble.


**Set early in the fellowship's journey.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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The loud chirps and buzzes created a gentle orchestral background to the late evening air. Calls from various animals broke through the noise every few minutes, answered a moment later by another from a different direction.

The resting Wood-Elf's ears perked as he listened to the night serenade—the low, deep thrum of the tree he lay against running under it all like a soothing bass line. His breath passed smoothly through his lungs, in and out, as he prepared to enter Elven dreams.

A loud grumble to his right broke his state of relaxed calm and the sound of agitated rustling met his lightly pointed ears. Sky blue eyes, reflecting softly in the night, flicked open, and a smirk pulled at the edge of the elf's lip.

"Something the matter, Gimli?"

"How can anyone sleep with all that noise?!" the dwarf grumbled, hitting at the pack he currently used as a makeshift pillow before settling down.

It took less than a minute before he moved again, abruptly sitting up on the ground.

"It's a cursed racket, it is! Oh, how I miss the quiet halls of The Lonely Mountain, where one can hear nought but their own breath."

"Peace, Gimli," interrupted a new voice. "We cannot expect to find a cave every time we must rest. This forest is quite safe for sleeping, so long as you stay on your vigil."

Gimli turned and grumbled at the ranger sitting by the low flickering fire, a pipe in his mouth.

"Maybe we should switch places; it's high time I took watch."

The dwarf began to rise, foregoing sleep, but the ranger lifted a hand, his head shaking.

"You need your rest, friend. We have a full days travel ahead. You must keep up your strength, especially if we are to guard the Hobbits."

Gimli's shadowed profile tensed, his form flickering in the firelight, before he relented, laying back down.

Everything remained silent for several long minutes, before the dwarf eventually resumed his grumbling, turning onto his side.

"The hoots are a family of barn owls. Hear how one calls for the other? I suspect they must have young nearby. And the loud, musical chirping? They are crickets. There are many here, I believe they must be..."

"I know what a cricket is, elf. I wouldn't mind them so much if they didn't sound like they were screeching in my ear!"

The elf paused, before his eyes lifted back to the forest, its leaves bathed in silver moonlight.

"The others, trilling greatly, they are frogs of many species. They surround us in the trees. The shower of rain early in the afternoon must have wet the leaves. They are quite joyful."

A low huff came from Gimli's direction.

Legolas closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of the forest.

"Hear how the wind rustles through the branches, and the bark creaks in slow intervals. The trees, they are speaking. The day is over and they rest for the night, waiting for the sun to bloom and nourish their open leaves in a new day. They converse softly in the calm." The elf's lips quirked in a small smile. "They sing. Can't you hear it?"

"Crazy elf," Gimli complained.

"Oh, but how they sing. From the base of the earth to the touch of the sky, they sing. And the stars, their songs are ancient and old, older than this solid Oak I rest upon. They speak great secrets of the heavens, and drip magic with their light. Oh, you must hear, their song speaks to the spirit, and weary of heart. Such wisdom, they sing. They all sing!"

A soft humming began to fill the air, before rising in pitch. Gimli blinked in surprise, and turned to the dimly glowing elf. The bell-like tone of the elf's voice echoed around the forest, reverberating through the thick trees. Several heads around the camp perked up from sleep, turning to stare at the elf in amazement, before resting back down with contented, awed smiles. A slightly larger breeze ruffled through the trees, and an intangible, trilling excitement seemed to spread through the forest, as if in answer. The dim glow of the elf had an effect like bioluminescence, and as the moon shone down through the swaying trees, it grew in brightness.

Gimli turned his head back to the front, and had to discreetly wipe a tear out of his eye, sniffing back the sudden avalanche of unexpected emotion.

The elf sang on, his lilting tones dancing through the night forest, until another, soft sound could be heard.

Legolas paused as he listened to the snoring dwarf, and looked back at the fire.

Aragorn smiled slyly at the elf, before letting out a puff of his pipe. Legolas grinned back in satisfaction, before returning to rest, letting his mind finally slip into Elven dreams.

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**Reviews welcome :)**


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